Guillemot International - Press News

GI LAUNCHES VALUE-PRICED SOUND CARD DELIVERING TOP-OF-THE-LINE AUDIO AT ENTRY-LEVEL PRICE

Maxi Sound Game Theater 64-- Dynamic 3D Edition Features Include Hardware-based 64-Voice GM/GS Wavetable Synthesis, True 3D Positional Sound, True Interactive Surround Sound On Four Speakers and Real-Time Effects

San Francisco, CA, November 24, 1997 -- Guillemot International (GI) announced today a new low $99 street price for the Maxi Sound Game Theater 64: Dynamic 3D Edition, the premiere sound card for PC users seeking the very best in PC audio. Fully compatible with Microsoft's new DirectSound 3D, Game Theater 64 provides "true 3D" audio positioning, immersing the listener in a total panorama of theater-quality sound. The powerful hardware accelerator and DSP on-board handle all sound processing on the card, freeing up the CPU for video processing and making the card compatible with virtually all hardware systems.

Maxi Sound Game Theater 64: Dynamic 3D Edition adds a whole new dimension to PC audio with hardware based 64-voice wavetable synthesis, real-time effects, programmable surround and dynamic 3D audio on four separate speakers. Using the Maxi Sound Game Theater 64 and DirectSound 3D, the audio API of the DirectXr 5.0 suite, up to 48 sounds can be positioned simultaneously and independently in three dimensions on four speakers.

"The availability of true 3D positional audio at $99 from GI and DirectSound 3D from Microsoft has the real potential of creating a whole new sound card market," stated Dave Peterson, Senior Product Manager for GI. "With its new low price, the Game Theater 64 provides the industry's technology leading sound card at an entry level price."

Besides giving audiophiles unparalleled listening pleasure, the Maxi Sound true 3D positional effect on four speakers gives games incredible realism. For the first time gamers can hear simultaneously the enemy approaching from behind, the helicopter roaring overhead, and the race car speeding by on the left. The powerful RISC-based 50 MIPS DSP (Digital Signal Processor) off-loads audio processing from the CPU, permitting it to be completely dedicated to other functions, such as providing fluid graphics on virtually all computers.

3D sound enhancement takes gameplay to new levels, giving games dimensions not previously accessible with other audio cards. With Game Theater 64 and DirectSound, users can hear each sound simultaneously, with different volumes set for each sound. In comparison, today's popular software-based sound cards permit users to only hear sounds from one position at a time.

Combining the powerful RISC-based 50 MIPS DSP with all-new 64-voice wavetable synthesis, Game Theater 64 gives users amazingly real MIDI sound and the ability to customize real-time surround sound and effects on virtually any game soundtrack created.

"There are a lot of great MIDI sound tracks out there that users have never been able to appreciate until now," said Claude Guillemot, President of GI. "With Game Theater 64, listeners can finally access the newest audio technologies in the latest games and digital recordings, while breathing new life into their old favorites."

Game Theater 64 hardware architecture is based on professional synthesizer equipment. The powerful 50 MIPS Digital Signal Processor on-board allows listeners to change equalization, reverb, surround sound and more in real time. The DSP is driven by Maxi FX, the exclusive effects control software that includes a 4-band equalizer and generates a multitude of post-effects in games.

"We designed the Maxi FX interface to be so simple to use that users can customize audio virtually in seconds," said Vincent Delabouere, Audio Engineer at GI. "Gamers can then create up to 800 enhanced audio settings to access each time they play that soundtrack."

Game Theater 64 is bundled with an exclusive version of Ubi Soft Entertainment's sci-fi racing game POD, the first game developed for Game Theater 64's four speaker, 3D positional audio technology. Game Theater 64 also includes 50 enhanced settings for the top selling games on the market.

Excellent Quality MIDI

Featuring the all-new 64-voice Dream chipset with 2 MB RAM, Game Theater 64 delivers the most MIDI options available in a sound card in the range. For the first time, gamers and audiophiles will have access to 355 real instruments with 128 General MIDI sounds, 189 variation sounds, 9 drum sets and 1 SFX. This MIDI quality, combined with a variety of MIDI editing tools including Cakewalk ExpressT, lets gamers as well as musicians access the full range of MIDI sequencing capabilities on the board. Users can expand RAM up to 18 MB with standard RAM SIMMs (60ns) to download more sound banks.

Outstanding Performance

Designed for both discerning audiophiles and gamers, Game Theater 64: Dynamic 3D Edition delivers more features than other sound cards in its price range. In addition to excellent sound quality, it includes a variety of on-screen stereo control functions including Midisoft Sound Impression, the HI FI stereo rack, and Maxi FX, the effects control center that lets users customize enhanced audio for any application running on the desktop.

With its on-board RISC processor providing full 64-voice polyphony in hardware, Game Theater 64 is the ideal 64-voice quadraphonic sound solution for any system, working with 486DX 66 MHz systems and up. The board's architecture provides advantages even on older systems as it can deliver dynamic sound without sacrificing graphics performance (Pentium recommended for Direct Sound 3D).

Rich Software Bundle

Game Theater 64: Dynamic 3D Edition is bundled with a number of top software packages including:

Cakewalk Express, a MIDI sequencer for professional and neophyte musical composers
Midisoft Sound ImpressionT, which uses a hi-fi control screen to manage sound files, MIDI files and CD-audio.
Internet Phone, user friendly software for Internet Telephony.
Maxi FX, the exclusive interface that allows user to generate real-time special effects for games or any audio application on the desktop.
Maxi Bank Downloader, for organizing instrument creations and loading sound banks into memory for use in MIDI games and music.

Compatible With All Current Standards

Game Theater 64: Dynamic 3D Edition is compatible with all current standards including DLS (Downloadable Sounds), DirectSound and DirectSound 3D and is compatible with all hardware standards.

Ubi Soft Entertainment, a major worldwide software publisher and developer, will oversee the distribution of Game Theater 64 in the United States. Game Theater 64 is available through a national network of resellers and distributors for an MSRP of $99. For more information, contact GI at 415-547-4050, or visit the company's web site at https://www.guillemot.com.

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Guillemot International is a major contributor to the multimedia field through its innovative line of peripherals. With an extensive in-house technology development center and years of PC sound and gaming experience, GI is setting standards with its Maxi Sound and Maxi Graphics hardware product lines.

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